Abstract
Mechanisms influencing retention, biogeochemical cycling, and release of legacy mercury within soils of forests and wetlands remain poorly understood. We quantified mercury pool size and stoichiometry with carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur across forest-wetland transects and among wetlands of different hydrogeologic settings in the Adirondack region of New York State. Average total mercury pool size in soils (to 50 cm depth) was greater in forests (17.5 mg/m<sup>2</sup>) than in wetlands (6.1 mg/m<sup>2</sup>; p < 0.010). The average mercury pool size (to 50 cm depth) in shallow-peat riparian wetlands (9.3 mg/m<sup>2</sup>) was greater than in deep-peat riparian (5.4 mg/m <sup>2</sup>; p = 0.099) or headwater wetlands (3.6 mg/m<sup>2</sup>; p = 0.046). Accumulation of mercury was enhanced at the forest-wetland interface. In mineral horizons of the forest soil and in shallow-peat riparian wetlands, mercury was positively correlated with carbon (r<sup>2</sup> = 0.73-0.96) and nitrogen (r<sup>2</sup> = 0.82-0.93), but not sulfur. In contrast, mercury and sulfur were strongly correlated in headwater wetland peat (r<sup>2</sup> = 0.73). Dissolved mercury was correlated with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in pore water and stream water of deep-peat and shallow-peat riparian wetlands (r<sup>2</sup> = 0.46-0.73), but not in headwater wetland pore water. In headwater outlet streams, dissolved mercury was correlated with DOC (r <sup>2</sup> = 0.62), but the slope was only one third that in riparian streams. Hydrogeologic setting influences decomposition processes, biogeochemical cycling of mercury, and hydrologic transport that in turn, govern the size and stoichiometry of mercury pools across the upland-wetland interface and among different wetland types. Ultimately, mobilization of legacy mercury into aquatic ecosystems from forest soils and wetlands likely depends upon decomposition dynamics and hydrologic flow paths. Key Points Accumulation of Hg in wetlands was enhanced at the forest-wetland interfaceWetland hydrogeologic setting influences Hg stoichiometry of soils & streamsHg:C ratio of soil & pore water sources may influence Hg:C ratio of stream water
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 825-841 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Journal of Geophysical Research D: Atmospheres |
| Volume | 118 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 1 2013 |
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Keywords
- forest soils
- hydrogeologic setting
- legacy mercury
- stoichiometry
- stream water
- wetlands
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Soil Science
- Forestry
- Water Science and Technology
- Palaeontology
- Atmospheric Science
- Aquatic Science
- Ecology
Cite this
Legacy mercury and stoichiometry with C, N, and S in soil, pore water, and stream water across the upland-wetland interface : The influence of hydrogeologic setting. / Demers, Jason D.; Yavitt, Joseph B.; Driscoll, Charles T; Montesdeoca, Mario R.
In: Journal of Geophysical Research D: Atmospheres, Vol. 118, No. 2, 01.06.2013, p. 825-841.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Legacy mercury and stoichiometry with C, N, and S in soil, pore water, and stream water across the upland-wetland interface
T2 - The influence of hydrogeologic setting
AU - Demers, Jason D.
AU - Yavitt, Joseph B.
AU - Driscoll, Charles T
AU - Montesdeoca, Mario R.
PY - 2013/6/1
Y1 - 2013/6/1
N2 - Mechanisms influencing retention, biogeochemical cycling, and release of legacy mercury within soils of forests and wetlands remain poorly understood. We quantified mercury pool size and stoichiometry with carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur across forest-wetland transects and among wetlands of different hydrogeologic settings in the Adirondack region of New York State. Average total mercury pool size in soils (to 50 cm depth) was greater in forests (17.5 mg/m2) than in wetlands (6.1 mg/m2; p < 0.010). The average mercury pool size (to 50 cm depth) in shallow-peat riparian wetlands (9.3 mg/m2) was greater than in deep-peat riparian (5.4 mg/m 2; p = 0.099) or headwater wetlands (3.6 mg/m2; p = 0.046). Accumulation of mercury was enhanced at the forest-wetland interface. In mineral horizons of the forest soil and in shallow-peat riparian wetlands, mercury was positively correlated with carbon (r2 = 0.73-0.96) and nitrogen (r2 = 0.82-0.93), but not sulfur. In contrast, mercury and sulfur were strongly correlated in headwater wetland peat (r2 = 0.73). Dissolved mercury was correlated with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in pore water and stream water of deep-peat and shallow-peat riparian wetlands (r2 = 0.46-0.73), but not in headwater wetland pore water. In headwater outlet streams, dissolved mercury was correlated with DOC (r 2 = 0.62), but the slope was only one third that in riparian streams. Hydrogeologic setting influences decomposition processes, biogeochemical cycling of mercury, and hydrologic transport that in turn, govern the size and stoichiometry of mercury pools across the upland-wetland interface and among different wetland types. Ultimately, mobilization of legacy mercury into aquatic ecosystems from forest soils and wetlands likely depends upon decomposition dynamics and hydrologic flow paths. Key Points Accumulation of Hg in wetlands was enhanced at the forest-wetland interfaceWetland hydrogeologic setting influences Hg stoichiometry of soils & streamsHg:C ratio of soil & pore water sources may influence Hg:C ratio of stream water
AB - Mechanisms influencing retention, biogeochemical cycling, and release of legacy mercury within soils of forests and wetlands remain poorly understood. We quantified mercury pool size and stoichiometry with carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur across forest-wetland transects and among wetlands of different hydrogeologic settings in the Adirondack region of New York State. Average total mercury pool size in soils (to 50 cm depth) was greater in forests (17.5 mg/m2) than in wetlands (6.1 mg/m2; p < 0.010). The average mercury pool size (to 50 cm depth) in shallow-peat riparian wetlands (9.3 mg/m2) was greater than in deep-peat riparian (5.4 mg/m 2; p = 0.099) or headwater wetlands (3.6 mg/m2; p = 0.046). Accumulation of mercury was enhanced at the forest-wetland interface. In mineral horizons of the forest soil and in shallow-peat riparian wetlands, mercury was positively correlated with carbon (r2 = 0.73-0.96) and nitrogen (r2 = 0.82-0.93), but not sulfur. In contrast, mercury and sulfur were strongly correlated in headwater wetland peat (r2 = 0.73). Dissolved mercury was correlated with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in pore water and stream water of deep-peat and shallow-peat riparian wetlands (r2 = 0.46-0.73), but not in headwater wetland pore water. In headwater outlet streams, dissolved mercury was correlated with DOC (r 2 = 0.62), but the slope was only one third that in riparian streams. Hydrogeologic setting influences decomposition processes, biogeochemical cycling of mercury, and hydrologic transport that in turn, govern the size and stoichiometry of mercury pools across the upland-wetland interface and among different wetland types. Ultimately, mobilization of legacy mercury into aquatic ecosystems from forest soils and wetlands likely depends upon decomposition dynamics and hydrologic flow paths. Key Points Accumulation of Hg in wetlands was enhanced at the forest-wetland interfaceWetland hydrogeologic setting influences Hg stoichiometry of soils & streamsHg:C ratio of soil & pore water sources may influence Hg:C ratio of stream water
KW - forest soils
KW - hydrogeologic setting
KW - legacy mercury
KW - stoichiometry
KW - stream water
KW - wetlands
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84880169118&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84880169118&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/jgrg.20066
DO - 10.1002/jgrg.20066
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84880169118
VL - 118
SP - 825
EP - 841
JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
SN - 2169-9275
IS - 2
ER -